View allAll Photos Tagged gettycontributor
I was absolutely amazed at how many hikers were trotting round the mountains.
Mind, I suppose for this time of the year the conditions were almost ideal even if it was very cold, and unlike the Summer, it wouldn't be mayhem trying to find a parking spot along a narrow mountain road!
I did get a tad frustrated along this stretch because there were magnificent waterfalls (and I even brought my tripod along!) and for a lover of waterfalls not being able to stop was sheer purgatory.
At one stage I said to Shane, "words fail me in trying to describe the scenery" and he just looked at me and said "for someone saying words fail you, you haven't shut up".
Me, talk a lot - naaaaaaaah!
EXPLORE NO 7 27TH NOVEMBER
One of the sheep roaming free across the Nth Yorkshire moors. It would have been an amazing sight if the Heather has been blooming.
Another shot of the Yellow Hornbill that entertained us whilst we were sitting in a hide in Pilanesberg Game Park.
This is one of the many rhinos that we saw during our drives around Kruger. We had some hot days during our trip - a couple were 38C according to the car thermometer.
I have decided to join Nina on her challenge to add a flower photo a day for 365 days.
www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/
This is a Justicia brandegeeana (Mexican shrimp plant, shrimp plant) that is growing in my neighbour's garden.
I had to play around in photoshop to lighten this photo as I had my settings wrong (as usual). Still not happy with it, but I love the wings and the pose of it hitting the water.
This is my photo for the group 52 in 2014 - #49 Autumn. It is another photo taken from our drive to Mt. Wilson on Monday.
This is my photo for the 52 in 2015 Challenge - #15 Shell. I used the front of the shell for my topic - #35, spiral or swirl. I will add a small photo to the item number, but at the moment Flickr won't allow me to for some reason.
I went around to my neighbour's garden yesterday with my 7D and Canon 180 mm 3.5 L series lens. After all the rain some of the flowers are coming back - the extreme heat while we were away decimated the gardens.
This is a place that I have wanted to visit for quite a while and yesterday I visited with Pat (Larigan here on Flickr). We are renting a flat overlooking the water at Bexhill on Sea from Pat - a lovely little flat with a beautiful view of the ocean.
This is my photo for the group 52 in 2014 - #21 Music. Peter's Dad is 95, but still likes to "tickle the ivories" as he says.
I know I have often said this, but zebras are my favourite African animal. Whilst you may think that you see them everywhere on the plains of the game parks, sometimes you can go for a few hours without seeing them.
This plant was growing in my wheelbarrow garden a few weeks back and I just realised that it is not there anymore - it sadly must have died. Oh well, it was pretty while it lasted.
An impressive rhinoceros that we saw when we were driving around Pilanesberg Game Park. We saw quite a few rhino on our trip in 2014.
This is the type of photo that you dream of getting when there is a lion, leopard or zebra drinking. I will settle for warthogs - the afternoon light was perfect as we were driving out of Kruger.
We always spend the afternoon at Windsor in Berkshire before flying home as it is a short drive to the airport from there. I love going to the river to see all the swans. Apparently the Queen owns all the swans in the UK.
I didn't buy this souvenir, but I really like it. I spotted it whilst wandering around the market just outside the front of Inn on the Square in Capetown. We have stayed here twice now and recommend it to anyone wanting to stay in Capetown.
One sleep to go. Santa is coming. All this preparation and it seems to go in the blink of an eye. I am not sure what happens in your part of the world, but here in Australia we start getting Easter things in the shops around two or three weeks after Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone.
Christmas seems to have snuck up on me this year, probably not helped by 5 days in hospital with Cellulitis in my legs.
Explored on 23rd December, 2015 (already early Christmas Day here in Australia)
Most of the flowers are disappearing from the garden now that the weather is cooling down, but the Grevillea is still blooming.
We called into this particular waterhole on three separate days and this huge rhinoceros was laying in almost the same spot each time - it must have been his favourite resting place. Except for the fact that his ears were moving as he tried to keep the flies away, you would think that he was a statue.
After our last few days of wet weather, we took advantage of a sunny day today and went for a drive to the Northern beaches. We stopped at Dee Why for lunch (fish and chips - yum) and this cheeky seagull hopped onto the seat opposite and poked his head above the table. He kept looking at us and then it became too much for him and he jumped up onto the table.
This was taken with my Canon 70-200 mm 2.8 IS L series lens.
This is my photo for the 52 in 2015 Challenge - #13 - Large. Not sure if it fits the challenge, but it goes from the biggest to the smallest, so in my mind it does LOL.
We were sitting in a hide in Kruger National park with another couple who were having morning tea when this Hornbill landed on the sill. It was waiting for some food I think, but as you are not supposed to feed the animals, he didn't get any.
Beachy Head Lighthouse was built in the sea below Beachy Head. It is 43 m (141 ft) in height and became operational in October 1902.
In 1900 to 1902 under the direction of Sir Thomas Matthews, the Trinity House Engineer-in-Chief, the lighthouse was build, sited about 165 metres seawards from the base of the cliffs. For the construction, a temporary cable car from the cliff has been installed for the transport of workers and stones to an iron ocean platform adjacent to the lighthouse. 3,660 tons of Cornish granite were used in the construction of the tower.
For more than 80 years, the red-and-white striped tower was manned by three lighthouse keepers. Their job was to maintain the light, which rotates, making two white flashes every 20 seconds. It was then visible 26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi) out to sea. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1983 and the keepers withdrawn.
On our way back from Hervey Bay in January we called in to spend some time with friends on their property at Inverell. This is one of their horses.
A collection of animals gathering at the lake in Kruger. We have been having lots of storms in the afternoon here in Sydney - takes me back to the Summer days when I was growing up. The gardens will probably like the water, but I hope they survive the heavy rain and wind. It is also playing havoc with my internet connection, so if I seem like I am not commenting, it is because the internet is only working when it feels like it. It took me four goes to even add this photo. We are on cable, so I don't really know what the problem is, but it always happens when we get rain.
This is my photo for the challenge, 52 in 2015. # 17 - Building in Black and White. This is a pub in Sheringham - has everything you would need for a nice stay.
Beautiful flower and butterfly that I saw at Stratford Upon Avon Butterfly Park.
For those that have been asking, my hand is going pretty good - wearing the splint has really helped.
We leave our little cottage this morning where the internet has been pretty good but we are now going into unknown territory. I am not sure if the next cottage has wi-fi, so I will be in touch when I can.
Qantas sent us some super cheap fares, so we are now booked for South Africa next year - the price was too good to pass up - nearly two for the price of one.
Portland Bill Lighthouse is a functioning lighthouse on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The lighthouse is located at the very south of the island, warning coastal traffic off of Portland Bill. The lighthouse and its boundary walls are Grade II Listed and have been since May 1993.
As Portland's largest and most recent lighthouse, the Trinity House operated Portland Bill Lighthouse is distinctively white and red striped, standing at a height of 41 metres (135 ft). The tower is approximately 114 feet. The lighthouse was completed by 1906 and first shone out on 11 January 1906.
Both Portland Bill and Chesil Beach are the locations of many wrecks of vessels that failed to reach Weymouth or Portland Roads. Portland Bill Lighthouse guides vessels heading for Portland and Weymouth through these hazardous waters as well as acting as a waymark for ships navigating the English Channel.
I have decided to join Nina on her challenge to add a flower photo a day for 365 days.
www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/
This is a single petal Gerbera that grows in my neighbour's garden.
I have been trying to get a photo of this beautiful bird since we arrived in South Africa, but they were always to flighty and nervous. I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted one sitting on a tree near the road when we were driving through Kruger.
As you know, my 50D died the day before we left South Africa, so I decided to upgrade with a second hand 7D. It is a new learning curve, especially as the manual was all in Japanese LOL, but I have worked out a few things. I have ordered a new book and waiting for it to arrive. I will get a quote for repairs to my 50D, but as I have seen them go on Ebay for around $380, I am not sure I am willing to pay too much for repairs.
People have been asking me how my hands survived the trip - the splint was a real help with the pain. In fact the pain seems worse now that I am home and back to doing the mundane chores that I was free of during the trip. I am booked in to see the surgeon again on the 11th September.
I had an early start this morning as my brother left to go home. He is physically disabled and has some minor memory problems since having severe seizures a few years ago and takes a while to get going in the morning. His train is due to leave at 7 a.m. but I had to get him up at 5 a.m. to get him ready for the car trip to the station. I never knew there was a 5 a.m. LOL - I think I may go back to bed.
Three weeks today we will be in the air on our way to South Africa. This is a photo that I took at Satara Camp when I met up with my Flickr friend Piet.
This is a new flower from my garden. I have been trying to find a red Poppy for ages and this one was supposed to be red - I don't think so LOL. It is beautiful all the same.
When we were on the 6 day tour of the Eastern Cape we called in to the Tsitsikamma National Park to look at one of the beaches. I was told to watch out for Dassies. They are so cute and seem to be smiling for the camera. When the sun was shining, they would come out and sit in the sun and when it went behind the clouds, they would disappear into the bushes.
This is my photo for the 52 in 2015 Challenge - #28 - On the windowsill. This is an orchid that my daughter gave me a couple of years ago. It was flowering then but since then there have been no flowers.
I have decided to join Nina on her challenge to add a flower photo a day for 365 days.
www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/
We are home from the Central Coast. Peter's Dad is now in his room at the nursing home and beginning to settle in (under sufference at this stage). It is a big move for him, but as my sister in law says, it is the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
A magnificent rhinoceros that we saw when driving around Kruger. It was huge and for once in the open for photos.
We are spending the night in a nice Guest House at Hartbeespoort. Tomorrow we fly home to Australia and whilst it is sad to be leaving, I can't wait to see everyone again. The guest house has excellent wi-fi, so I will be able to check in after dinner.
This is a common scene when driving through the game parks in South Africa. This photo was taken in Pilanesberg Game Park which is a wonderful place to visit - not as busy as Kruger and on a much smaller scale.
It was a toss up whether to upload the stag or a mushroom.
Obviously stag won!
He is, I presume the Alpha male of the pack as he is a lot heftier than the other stags and one can't go by how big the antlers are as they drop off in the Spring.
He wasn't at all bothered about me clicking away and when he had had his 40 winks he ambled away.
Mind, judging from the way he was chasing the object of his affection round and round the bushes later on, he needed all the rest possible!
I have decided to join Nina on her challenge to add a flower photo a day for 365 days.
www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/
This is a Crown of Thorns plant that is growing in one of my neighbour's garden.
Four weeks today we will be in the air on our way to the UK. This photo was taken in Scotland during our trip in 2013.
The Marigolds are growing madly in my wheelbarrow garden at the moment and when I went out this afternoon I spotted this little grasshopper on one of the flowers. I took a few photos and then I went in to put the camera on the monopod as my hands were shaking (something that has been happening since the operation), but when I went back outside it was gone. Thankfully, this photo turned out okay - hand held, sooc.
When we were in Pilanesberg at the centre the Yellow Hornbill also sat around waiting for any crumbs of food.
We are staying the night at Hartbeespoort and the internet is pretty good - catch up after dinner at The Spur - best steaks I have ever tasted. Tomorrow we head to Marloth Park and Kruger.